BRINGING SCIENCE TO TREATMENT
Nov 28, 2020; Columbia, MO, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores kicker Sarah Fuller (32) before the game against the Missouri Tigers Credit: Hunter Dyke/Handout Photo via USA TODAY Sports
The inauguration of the United States’ first female vice president marks another example of the windows of opportunity opening to women in all aspects of society. One hallmark moment for female athletes was Title IX’s inclusion as part of the Education Amendments passed in the US in 1972. This amendment prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex or gender within the federally funded school systems. While this ruling pertained to sexual harassment and violence, it also supported the equal allocation of funding to all student programs – including athletics. In other words, female athletes should have the same available resources as males in sports.
Despite advances in sports participation, sports scientists from New South Wales highlight an area where women still lack equal representation: sports science(1). They cite a 2014 study that identified a female inclusion rate in sport’s research of 39%(1). In their current field of study, cell-free DNA (cfDNA), they also note an absence of female representation.
Cell-free DNA is a new and budding field of research that examines the free DNA circulating in the bloodstream. This DNA is released from dying cells and is a strong indicator of inflammation. Interestingly, exercise affects the levels of cfDNA, with higher levels detected after bouts of acute exercise. The Welch researchers analyzed the current literature on the topic and found that males were represented in the literature five times more often than females.
Researchers often cite hormonal fluctuations as a reason for excluding women from studies. However, there’s no evidence to support the assertion that hormones affect the outcomes of most sports-related investigations(1). There are, however, other sex-specific factors that may cause women to respond differently than men. These include perfusion rate, time to fatigue, recovery outcomes, and response to resistance training(1). These differences mean that the information obtained through the study of men can’t be universally applied to women.
Why does it matter that females are underrepresented in sports science? Because science doesn’t exist in a vacuum. This publication’s mission is to help clinicians apply science to their treatment strategies to benefit injured athletes. If one can assume that nearly half of injured athletes are women, then it seems a failure of the entire industry only to know how interventions affect men.
This year also marked the first time a woman played in a Power 5 college football conference game. Therefore, inclusion in research should go beyond ‘female related’ sports issues. Women should be equally represented in all aspects of sports science. Only then will practitioners have the information they need to provide truly equal treatment.
in Email Newsletters, Improve, Prevent
The perfect training load to elicit a desired functional adaptation is the elusive goal of every training session for every clinician and athlete. Doing so ensures that training is efficient and purposeful. However, there’s little guidance for measuring training loads in healthy athletes, much less those in rehab. Recently, Tim Gabbett, the father of training... MORE
in Email Newsletters, Improve, Other
Women and men suffer the same types of sports injuries. However, they experience them differently. For instance, women have higher rates of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries(1). They also have a significantly greater chance of reinjury after an ACL repair (ACLR)(1). While great strides have been made in decreasing the rates of ACL injury in... MORE
Clinical pathways and protocols often dictate exercise prescription based on the diagnosis. However, as Tracy Ward explains, understanding muscle structure, function, metabolism, and movement allow for innovative program design tailored to each athlete. Diagnosis-based protocols focus on the specific injury. For example, hamstring injuries are treated with Nordic exercises, adductor strains with the Copenhagen protocol, Achilles... MORE
in Email Newsletters, Hip injuries
It’s always a good idea to revisit the basics from time to time and rethink the “why” behind the “how” of clinical treatment. An excellent primer on hip function by Donald Neumann, PT, PhD, FAPTA from Marquette University(1)reminds clinicians of the complexity of the hip joint and associated musculature. The clinical pearls from studying the... MORE
in Ankle and foot injuries, Email Newsletters
Though plantar fasciitis makes up only 1% of the visits to orthopedic doctors, it is one of the hardest-to-treat ailments(1). Because 80% of those diagnosed with plantar fasciitis present with a tight Achille’s tendon (AT), researchers in New Zealand sought to understand better the relationship between the two structures(1). The known biomechanical relationship between the... MORE
Running for sport is just as popular among young people as it is with adults. Up to 40% of children participate in running as a sport in some parts of the world(1). For youth in the US, running is the second most popular activity(1). As the popularity of running grows, so do the numbers of... MORE
